LocationsBalochistan’s Vision for the Final Stretch towards the SDGs
By Zahid Saleem | Additional Chief Secretary (Development), Planning & Development Department, Balochistan
Balochistan is committed to accelerating progress towards the SDGs by aligning its provincial development agenda with inclusive, resilient, and sustainable priorities. The journey towards achieving the SDGs began in collaboration with UNDP and progressed with the continued support of the UNDP provincial office in Balochistan. As the province progressed its 2030 Agenda, the SDG Units evolved into the SDG Section within the Planning and Development Department in Balochistan. The 2025-26 Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) and several other policies and plans embody this vision in their implementation. The program encompasses over PKR 1.65 trillion in total project costs, including PKR 271.6 billion of foreign project assistance. With a current year allocation of PKR 279.6 billion and a throw-forward of PKR 864 billion, the province is investing strategically in long-term development across sectors.
17 designated strategic projects with a combined cost of PKR 82 billion form the backbone of this approach. These include transformative initiatives such as the Command Area Development, Satellite-Based Cadastral Mapping, and Integrated Market Infrastructure, which directly advance SDGs 2 (Zero Hunger), 11 (Sustainable Cities), and 15 (Life on Land). With PKR 24.6 billion allocated in the current year and PKR 57.4 billion in forward liabilities, these strategic projects signal a serious commitment to sustainable, high-impact delivery.
Balochistan’s institutional strengths, such as the SDG Support Unit and evolving interdepartmental coordination, ensures progress that is relevant locally. Yet, success hinges on stronger fiscal devolution, improved data systems and meaningful community engagement.
Provincial vision for the Final Stretch SDGs Agenda 2030
By Adeel Shah | Secretary, Planning and Development Department, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
The Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Since the Government of Pakistan’s endorsement of the SDGs in 2016, followed by the National Assembly’s adoption of the SDGs as National Development Goals, the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has focused on making the SDGs central to its governance structure, while increasing resource allocations towards critical sectors including social, socio-economic, economic, environmental and governance sectors. In collaboration with UNDP, we have established SDG Support Units and have notified vertical and horizontal coordination mechanisms, developed and approved the Provincial SDGs Framework from the Provincial Cabinet, developed district-level SDG scorecards for better insights into regional planning, initiated public expenditure tracking and mainstreamed gender equality across planning instruments.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, multidimensional poverty registered a downward trend from 49 percent in 2015 to 40 percent in 2019 while skilled birth attendance improved from 57 percent in 2014-15 to 67 percent in 2019, demonstrating the impact of our targeted policy and programmatic efforts.
The law-and-order situation, poverty, inequality and climate shocks pose substantial challenges in our path towards achieving the SDGs. These challenges not only reduce our development pace but often require repurposing our development budgets. Despite these issues, the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is determined to pursue its SDG commitment through continued implementation of policy guidelines and bringing in improvement to further expedite our efforts towards achieving the 2030 Agenda. We are working on all these fronts and utilizing our own resources effectively.
We are also effectively coordinating with a broad range of development partners. For the remaining period, we will build on this momentum and focus on improving governance. We will ensure that the SDGs are central to governance structures, financing for development, climate change financing and inclusive development. Finally, climate resilience, disaster preparedness and digital transformation are central to the province’s forward-looking strategy to effectively contribute towards achieving its SDGs targets.
Punjab’s Vision 2030:
Delivering Sustainable Development through Strategic Transformation
By Naeem Rauf | Chairman Planning and Development Department, Punjab
As Pakistan’s most populous and economically dynamic province, Punjab is uniquely positioned to lead the national effort in achieving the SDGs by 2030. The Planning and Development Board is at the forefront of this transformation, driving an inclusive, sustainable, and forward-looking development agenda aligned with the Chief Minister’s vision for equitable growth and citizen-centric service delivery.
With less than five years left until Agenda 2030, our strategy is anchored in a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach. We are leveraging critical enablers such as skills development, climate resilience, digital transformation, agricultural modernization, industrial growth, and innovative development financing. These priorities are vital to addressing multidimensional poverty, enhancing human development outcomes, and advancing inclusive and sustainable prosperity.
Punjab’s institutional capacity is rooted in a robust SDGs governance framework, reinforced by evidence-based planning and a results-oriented monitoring ecosystem. We are aligning policy actions with global development priorities while simultaneously optimizing public investment and mobilizing private capital to bridge financing gaps and unlock scalable impact.
As we enter the final stretch to 2030, accelerating implementation is imperative. This requires deeper institutional integration, innovative financing mechanisms, and strengthened cross-sector partnerships. Our commitment remains unwavering to improve service delivery, promote localized and adaptive solutions, and ensure that no one is left behind in Punjab’s development journey.
We stand ready to deliver a future that is inclusive, resilient, and sustainable for all.
Vision Statement from Sindh
By Najam Ahmed Shah | Chairman Planning & Development Department, Sindh
Sindh envisions a prosperous, inclusive, and climate-resilient province where economic growth, social equity, and environmental sustainability go hand-in-hand. By 2030, we aim to integrate the SDGs into all tiers of planning, ensuring equitable access to quality education, healthcare, and livelihoods. Strong governance, participatory decision-making, and innovative financing will drive progress. Our commitment is to leave no one behind in achieving sustainable development for all.